The present invention relates to fish catching devices and in particular to such devices for use in conjunction with fishing poles which are designed to be preset and thereafter automatically catch a fish when triggered by a pull on the fishing line by a fish.
In many types of both commercial and sport fishing, fishermen place a line with a baited hook in the water and wait for long periods of time for a fish to take the bait. Many different prior art devices have been developed for allowing a fisherman to place a pole in a device which is preset and may be triggered by the fish taking the bait so as to suddenly pull on the pole and set the hook in the mouth of the fish, thereby catching the fish. For example, the Titze U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,651 illustrates such a device which has the built-in capacity to change the force applied to the pole when released by a trigger mechanism. The reasons why a fisherman would want such a device varies with the particular fisherman, for example, some fishermen want to tend many different lines at the same time, some fishermen want to rest or even leave while waiting for a fish to strike and other fishermen simply get tired of holding the pole.
One of the major problems with fish catching devices of the prior art has been that the triggering mechanism is not designed to easily accommodate various different size poles and different types of fish. In particular, for each type of fish, a particular tension is preferable on the line for catching the fish and a particular fish hook setting tension is also preferable. If a larger or smaller rod is utilized by a fisherman than the device was originally designed for, then it may change the tension characteristics necessary for the fish to trigger the device. If the fisherman is trying to catch large fish as opposed to small fish, it is desirable for the tension to be set higher and vice versa.
In addition, for certain fish, the strength of the pull on the line, when the device is triggered, is important. For example, when fishing for carp which have fairly weak mouth tissue, it is desirable that the tug on the line be just enough to set the hook and not pull the hook through the tissue. On the other hand, certain fish have fairly tough mouths and the pull required to set the hook is greater. Therefore, it is desirable to have a fishing device of this type which is adjustable not only for a particular pole but also for the size of the fish and for the type of fish which the fisherman is trying to catch. When trolling for fish, the problems associated with tension are multiplied, since the line being pulled through the water creates a certain amount of tension which may vary if the bait does not pass smoothly through the water. Hence, extra tension may have to be applied to the device to prevent unintended triggering.
Fishermen often accidentally trigger fishing devices of this type while they are being set. This often results in injury to the fishermen, since they may be leaning over the pole and have it strike them in the face. Therefore, applicant has foreseen the need for a safety mechanism to prevent the pole from striking a user in the face during operation.
Applicant has also found that one of the fisherman's hands is frequently busy holding the rod or doing some other function while the triggering device is being set. Consequently, it is beneficial to have a triggering system which can be set with a single hand.
Applicant has found that it is important that the fisherman be notified fairly quickly when the device is triggered. If the fisherman fails to respond soon, the fish may be able to disengage the hook or break the line, if the fish struggles for a long period of time. Therefore, applicant has devised several systems for notifying the fisherman that the device is triggered which include both audible signals for use during the daytime and/or light signals for use during the night. The light also provides the fisherman with the ability to better see the equipment.
In addition, applicant has found that it is important to have a device which collapses neatly into a compact structure for both carrying and storage. Further, applicant has found that, in a device of this type, it is important to be able to attach the device to either a boat or be planted in ground or fixed relative to ice for ice fishing. In addition, when the structure can be planted within the ground, it is important to have the ability to change the angle of the fishing rod relative to the structure planted in the ground, such that it can be easily used on a slanted bank or the like. Applicant has also found that it is important to provide structure for locking a fishing rod within the device so that the fishing rod is not accidentally lost when pulled on by a large fish or the like.